General Information Technology is to be introduced as a one year course
in the Grade 12 curriculum in selected A/L schools from June this year.
All A/L students can follow this course irrespective of their study
stream.

The subject will be introduced to GCE Ordinary Level as an optional
subject from January next year.

Director of ICT Agency, Education Ministry, Dilantha Vithanage told
reporters at the Information Department yesterday that over 1,000 schools
with Advanced Level have already been supplied computer laboratories under
the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank funded education development
projects.

"Some schools will be selected to launch the first phase of the
A/L GIT project," he said.

This initiative's objective is to make school leavers computer literate
and job attuned, Vithanage said.

The National Institute of Education has been asked to develop a
methodology for evaluating the practical component of the test. Training
of teachers is also handled by the NIE.

Altogether, there are 2,368 schools with A/L classes.

The GIT would be especially helpful for those offering non-science
subjects or seeking employment after their A/L.

This can be regarded as a foundation course for others pursuing higher
studies in the same line.

The Ministry initiative will be supported by the Ministry's
Consolidated Fund and by World Bank and ADB funded projects.

Arrangements have also been made to issue a special certificate under
school level for students who successfully complete the one year A/L GIT
course.

Teachers who have already been trained in this subject will be given an
accelerated specialised training to meet the Ministry's Information
Communication Technology Policy goals, the spokesman said.

The ICT agency and the National Institute of Education will work in
collaboration with the Ministry and relevant universities.

According to the Ministry, about 1,000 A/L schools, out of 2,530 are
already equipped with computers through World Bank and Asian Development
Bank projects.